Staff Notice

Operating Procedures During Pandemic

On the 12th of March 2020 the World Health Organisation declared a pandemic arising from the spread of COVID-19. This procedure is in response to the declared pandemic and in line with government recommendations at the time of publication. This is an update to the Safety Alert issued on 16th of March.

OPERATING PROCEDURES

SMC have identified the risks in the workplace and have developed a set of practices that will help minimise the risk to our workers. The following control measures are to be adopted immediately until further notice:

All Staff

  • Avoid close contact.
  • Stay at home if you are sick. Notify your supervisor and follow the Department of Health recommendations.
  • If you have a confirmed case, you need to isolate yourself to prevent spreading it to others.
  • Maintain a distance of at least 1.5m from other people at all times, where practical.
  • No handshaking or other physical greetings.
  • Minimise meetings and if one is required, hold it in open air if possible.
  • Travel to work in your own vehicle ( rather than with colleagues ) and avoid public transport, where practical.
  • Take lunch outside in the open air if possible rather than in a shared lunch room.
  • Disinfect ( with spray and paper towel ) high-touch surfaces regularly.
  • Do not share food and limit food handling.
  • Wash up after yourself and wipe down surfaces in the kitchen.
  • Protect yourself and others by practising good hygiene
    • Cover your coughs and sneezes into with your elbow OR use a tissue and dispose of it properly
    • Wash your hands often with soap and water, including before and after eating and after going to the toilet
    • Avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes
    • Clean and disinfect surfaces

NOTE: there is a shortage of hand sanitiser and disinfectant sprays, please use these as soon as they become available and in the meantime use soap and water.

Site Workers

  • When passing through the yard minimise time spent – do what you need to do to mobilise / demobilise for the day’s work and then move on.
  • Wipe down hand controls on plant and equipment between uses.
  • Keep windows and doors open to encourage flow of fresh air in operator cabins ( where safe and practical ) and in the yard office.

Office Staff

  • Open windows and doors to encourage flow of fresh air when practical.
  • If you have one, take your laptop home daily in case you need to work from home.
  • Assist by wiping down high-touch areas including for example: door handles, photocopier and your keyboard.

Yours faithfully

Peter Philipp                                                                                                               

Director SMC Marine

Published: 19 March 2020

Updated: 9 July 2020